Bitter Sweet
by merise
Summary: Seiya and Akane can't stand each other... right? Drabbles
1. Heart of Ice

This is my version of what should have happened after chapter 44. I personally thought that Akane needed more time. Her chapter in volume 7 and the black sesame pudding special were my favorite chapters.

I guess for me, after a while, the Akane/Seiya couple appealed to me more than Najika/Daichi. I've always wondered what would have happened if Sora hadn't died. I know they wouldn't have put Sora with Najika in the end, because a lot of readers would be upset, and I can't help but think that Sora had feelings for Akane. Course, I like Seiya better than Sora, but I wonder what that would have been like.

There's a hint of couplings in there, but I'm mainly focusing on Akane and her feelings.

Heart of Ice

"I'm sorry, but… I can only look at you as a friend." Daichi said, looking away from the pigtailed girl. Next to me, I could feel Seiya's expression of shock alongside my own. Except for me, I had shock mixed with anger and pity for my friend.

I could see Daichi's retreating back as he headed towards his dormitory. Najika watched him with a long solemn face as he dissipated into the horizon and slowly, almost dejectedly, she went back to the Fujita diner, with the hint of a tear on her face.

That was one of the things I almost wanted to dislike about Najika. From the moment we met, I knew that the two of us were very different, in very different ways. And I almost envied her for it. She was able to bring Sora and Daichi closer as brothers, something I couldn't do, despite the fact that I had known them for years. I could just watch as they drifted farther and farther apart, until she came along. She never brought them to the brotherly love she hoped, but that was because we were all mixed up in a messed up love square anyways.

Growing up, I was taught that crying is weakness, and perfection was the only way to succeed in life. Depending on others was part of that weakness, which is why I never felt particularly close to the friends I had before Najika came along. I never let them in.

That was for Sora and Daichi.

I hated that Najika cried, and that she acted that she was so weak. Even more, I hated that Daichi and Sora were always, always there for her, just like they were there for me in the old days. I felt so isolated and I felt like my real friends had no more room for me.

My heart turned to ice, a spell that I didn't think anyone could break.

But Najika, with help from Sora and Daichi, kept trying. I don't know why she was so determined- I had been so mean and cruel to her. But she just kept trying and trying, and the spell wore off a little, with time.

However, it wasn't completely broken. But there would be something in the way that would distract us all from everything.

Sora.

No one expected his death, least of all Najika, who carried a torch for him. I could see that it killed Daichi, although he had told me that he didn't like Najika. I knew him well enough to know he was lying.

But none of that really mattered. Daichi took Sora's place, going back to the house he had escaped, for Sora's sake. And later, I learned, to keep Najika at the school.

My heart broke.

I didn't realize how deep his feelings were for Najika until Seiya had come along. Well, maybe I did, but I didn't want to believe it. But Seiya was arrogant and condescending, he was Sora's antithesis, except for the fact that they looked almost exactly the same.

I say almost because I did see a difference. Sometimes, when he smiled, on rare occasion, Seiya did look exactly like Sora, but Sora's features were softer, kinder. Seiya's had the hard marks of an unsatisfactory relationship with his parents.

I should know.

But he made me realize how much Daichi loved Najika. I knew then, I had to get closure and put everything out there.

Of course, he rejected me. But the spell was finally broken, and I was able to look at Najika with a real smile.

"I have to go after him." I thought, not realizing that I had said it out loud. As I moved out of the bush Seiya and I were hiding behind, I felt a hand on my arm.

"You're not going to confess again, are you?" He asked, estranged with a look of disbelief. "You know even though he rejected her, he still likes Najika, and you can't change that."

I yanked my arm out of his grip with a glare. "I'm fully aware of that, thank you. I wasn't going to confess, thank you very much. I wouldn't do that to Najika."

With a quick glance at the Fujita diner, I took off with a run after Daichi. I finally caught up to him, at the tree where I had confessed to him.

Ironic, isn't it?

"Akane, I don't really want to t-"

I cut him off. "Why'd you reject her?"

He looked away. "I don't know what you're talking about, Akane."

"Don't be stupid, Daichi. Why'd you reject Najika?"

"I have to go-"

"Look me in the eye and tell me you don't like her! Do you know how much it hurt when you told me you couldn't see at me as anything other than a friend? Because you liked Najika? You stupid idiot! I just watched you stomp over her heart, which you rejected mine for! Don't make me ever regret giving up on you Daichi!"

Don't make me regret letting go of my feelings, Daichi. I've gotten over the fact that you don't like me the way I used to like you, and I've moved on. Don't make me move backwards. Don't make me regret ever confessing to you.

She was the only one I could have ever given you to.

I glared at him, my cheeks flushed with anger. Finally, slowly, he looked me straight in the eye. He wasn't crying. The last time I had seen him cry was when Sora died. But he did seem very shaken up.

"Sora." He uttered. I blinked, bewildered.

"What about Sora?"

"Aniki liked her, Akane. Aniki liked Najika, and he died and I was so mean to him!" His voice rose with both sadness and regret. "I can't be happy, knowing I took the girl he liked after he died! I can't be happy, know I was so mean to him before he died! I can't be happy, knowing he sacrificed everything so I could live how I wanted!"

"Daichi, tell me something."

"What?"

"Najika was important to Sora, right?"

He nodded, unsure of where I was leading him.

"You were important to him too. And don't you dare deny it, Daichi. Everything Sora did, he had you and Najika both in mind. You said so yourself. If you think Sora would be upset that you were happy, you really can't say that you knew him. He did everything for you and her. Wouldn't he of all people want the both of you to be happy, even after he died?"

Sora, thank you.

I finally understand something.

I understand how much a person can care for others. I understand how much you cared for us.

You loved Najika, though I'm unsure if it was the same way she loved you. You loved Daichi, because however rebellious he was, and however much you two knocked heads, he was your brother.

And I know you loved me, too, Sora. I don't know why, but I know you did.

And I understand now that you sent us Seiya for a reason. He needed us, and I needed him- I realize that now. You knew the depth of Daichi's feelings, and you knew I would be heartbroken. You wanted to send someone to be there for me, since you couldn't.

Thank you, Sora.


	2. A Phone Call

I switch between Seiya and Akane's point of view somewhere in the middle, then back to Seiya for the end. By the way, the last lines (that should be italicized) are from the chapter where Seiya is formally introduced.

Lots of Seiya/Akane hints, especially the ending.

**A Phone Call**

I watched the plane fly off before I headed back to the hotel. I was alone again, and unsure of what to do. I had gone so long, since I met them, depending on others, that I didn't know what to do now that I was alone. The minute hand of the clock ticked.

I closed my eyes and thought of when I had first entered Seika Academy. The girl with red-orange hair and a dream, unaware of the richer pleasures of life, but happy all the same. The dark brown haired boy, who had lost his brother, hated me because I looked like him, but loved the girl with all of his heart.

But there was another girl. This one was unlike the first one. Feisty, strong willed, proud, and extremely gorgeous, if not beautiful. She had large amethyst eyes, striking among her dark hair. And she reminded me of myself. She had been trained not to cry in front of people, and that made her vulnerable. But at the same time, she was sassy enough to cover up her problems, even though I saw through her façade.

She was bold. She loved the dark haired boy- he had been her childhood friend and her first love. But he had fallen in love with her best friend, and she knew it, yet at the same time she didn't want to believe it was true. Finally, she met this obstacle and she fell, hard. But she was also determined to get back up again.

That was the first time I had ever admired or respected anyone other than myself.

Then, something unexpected happened. The orange haired girl's charms won over my hard exterior. Slowly, I began to admire her, if not love. She represented an antithesis of me, just like I represented an antithesis of her lost love. Her best friend, the dark haired girl, was unhappy with this. She had broken her heart so she could move on and the orange-haired girl was the only one she could have given her first love to.

I didn't have much of a chance. Najika had already been falling in love with Daichi by the time I came around. He did everything for her, and she was touched. It made her happy to see him, even though his father disliked her. They were head over heels.

And Akane. She knew the pangs of being rejected, the same ones I had just learned. She had her own strength. All of them did, and it made me feel incomparably weak.

Akane

My cell phone rang, its sound piercing the dark of the night. I groaned, and turned over in my bed to check the clock. 2AM. Who on earth would call at this hour? Besides Najika. My phone didn't register any number, but she was overseas, after all. It had to be her. I reached over and hit the talk button, snuggling into my pillow.

"Hello?" I asked sleepily. "Najika, is that you? Do you know how early it is? I know you're in Paris and all, but it's 2 in the morning here."

There was a dead silence.

"Ah, that was a little rude." I yawned. "Sorry, Najika, it's too early to comprehend anything. Is something bothering you?"

"Akane?" The voice said softly. That wasn't Najika's voice. It was too deep for that. Part of the shock was that I had never heard Seiya Mizuno's voice say just 'Akane'. Or say it without a snide remark, either.

"Seiya, is that you? How'd you get my number?"

"Najika gave it to me before she left. How are you?"

I blinked in astonishment. Not only did he call me by my given name, he actually started a conversation that wouldn't end in bloodbath. "Somehow I don't think you called me for pleasantries. You say that Najika left. Did she go to Hokkaido by any chance?"

I thought back to earlier that day. Daichi and I were in the Fujita diner when the phone had rung. I didn't think anything of it, until Daichi, face paling with every second, announced that he was heading to Hokkaido. He left in a hurry, and I took the phone, which he had left hanging.

It was a little boy, from the Lavander House, where Najika had grown up. Vaguely, I recollected that week that Najika, Sora, and Daichi had headed to Hokkaido to take care of Najika's guardian. She had apparently fallen down the stairs, and I had given them Najika's cell phone number.

I had said. "Don't tell her Daichi's on his way."

"Yeah, that's where she is." Seiya said, bringing me back to reality. "I don't know what I'm going to do about this competition, Akane."

"What do you mean?"

"I used to think that depending on others was a burden. Now, I don't know what I can do without."

"Idiot." I mumbled into my pillow. "If you can't do it for yourself, do it for the people who care and believe in you. We're all cheering you on, Mizuno, whether you know it or not. And you shouldn't need to wholly depend on anyone. You're stubborn almost to an annoying point."

"As are you." The voice chuckled.

"Well, you did once tell me that I was a lot like you."

"I also recall telling you that you were pretty and charming. Does that mean you're calling me pretty?"

Seiya

There was silence on the other side of the phone, and I realized that Akane had fallen asleep, even though the line was still open.

"Good night, Akane."

_You're pretty and charming._

_Just my type._


	3. The Missing Link

Post Kitchen Princess. Akane and Seiya are a couple, but they're finding it hard to make time for each other.

It's really cheesy, sorry about that xD. I've run out of ideas for Akane/Seiya fics.

The Missing Link

"I have a modeling job that day in Hawaii." I said on the webcam, as the make-up artist pulled back my hair. He nodded, knowing that this was a huge step in my career. "But we'll see each other soon, okay?"

And so for Seiya's birthday, we had a short, webcam chat. Najika and Daichi threw him a party at the diner, and I 'joined' in through said webcam. I didn't get to see him blow out the candles though, because I was taking a picture. In return for missing his birthday, I sent him a Hawaiian dish, over air mail.

------

strawberrymodel to theworldsbestchef

**Are you coming to Daichi's surprise party?**

theworldsbestchef to strawberrymodel

**I can't, they have me scheduled teaching a cooking class at a university. Tell him happy birthday from me though.**

strawberrymodel to theworldsbestchef

**I will, rock it out at the cooking class.**

**---------  
**

"Sorry, Akane, I can't make it for your birthday." He apologized over the phone. "They're sending me to Paris, but we'll celebrate it when I get back, okay?

As a gift, he sent me a heart shaped locket, wrought out of pure gold. What would you expect from the heir? He had wedged a piece of paper in the locket, written in his overbearingly neat, fancy script, _Every day that I've known you is a birthday for me. Today, I celebrate that you're in my life_.

**---------**

Text received from Seiya at 8:46 PM.

_Are you coming to Najika's birthday party?_

_-Seiya_

Text received from Akane at 8:47 PM.

**Can't ;____;**

**My agent has me booked for a bunch of jobs, and she wouldn't let me put them off. I'll be able to get there 6-ish though, will you still be there?**

-Akane

Text received from Seiya at 8:50 PM.

_Ack, no, I leave at 5:30 for my plane to California._

Text received from Akane at 8:51 PM.

**Aw, and I was looking foreword to seeing you, too.**

Text received from Seiya at 8:52 PM.

_Same here. We'll spend Christmas and New Years together though, okay?_

Text received from Akane at 8:54 PM.

**Can't wait :3.**

**---------**

"Akane? I'm sorry, but I'm stuck at the airport in New York!" Seiya said over the sound of the snow hitting the windows of the airport. "I won't be in until a few days after New Years. Will you be busy then?"

"I start the spring modeling shoot then. We just keep on missing each other, huh? Let's make Valentine's Day work, then."

**---------**

Package sent to: Seiya Mizuno

_Hey Seiya! I hope this gets to you on time. I actually did make these myself! With a bit of help, of course 3._

_I'm sorry for not being able to call or anything- I've been out of service at my shoot. I'll be back in Japan soon though, so we'll meet up then?_

_xoxo, Akane._

**---------**

"Wow, who would have guessed that Akane made something without burning it? It's not even Valentine's Day, either." Daichi said in surprise as he inspected the chocolate dipped strawberries. They were decorated with intricate designs in thin white chocolate. "Seiya and Najika must be rubbing off on you."

"Maybe." I said happily, glancing at the door.

"Akane, there's a voice message on the phone." Najika said solemnly. I wiped my hands before playing the message.

_March 14, at 3:25 PM._

Beep. Hey, Akane, I tried calling your cell phone but it was always out of service. You really need to get that fixed. Anyways, I can't make it today, I'm really, really sorry. Happy Saint White's- I'll make it up to you.

End message.

**---------**

"Akane, aren't you going out today with Seiya? It's your one year anniversary." Najika hesitated as I sat at the table, stirring my hot chocolate.

"Nah. Every time we plan to see each other, something comes up. Are you and Daichi doing anything today? We can go to the mall or something. Unless you two would rather spend the day by yourselves."

A guilty look washed over Najika's face and I took her expression as my answer.

"It's okay. I'll just hang out here for a while or something, you go out and have fun, okay?" I gave her a hug and she left, not to long later to meet up with Daichi.

I sat at the window seat, looking at the window, at both couples and friends, wearing black. I smiled to myself, thinking about how last year's Black Day had gone. I wasn't single this year, but I was still alone, why was that?

There was a tinkle at the door and I automatically replied, "We're closed, none of the cooks are here."

"Good thing I'm a cook then." _That_ smug voice said. I looked up to see Seiya standing there with a large bouquet of flowers, and a small picnic basket. "Akane, I'm sorry it's been so long since we've seen each other, and-"

I flung my arms around him before he could continue. "It's okay, I'm just glad that you're here." I said quietly.

He nodded into my hair and set down the flowers and the basket.

"Ma chere copine, vous etes la plus belle coloeur au coucher du soleil."

"What does that mean?"

There was a glint in his eye.

"It means, I love you, and I want a kiss."

"Something tells me that isn't right."

"Maybe, but I still love you."

"Me too."

And that is why every missed date, every broken promise isn't enough to make me fall out of love. No matter how much we're apart, I can't forget that I love him, and it's always going to be enough.


	4. Najika

It's been a while since I've posted anything for this, sorry about that. I've run out of drabble ideas, really. If you have any ideas, I'd be glad to hear them. In the meantime, I'll probably keep on working on Strawberries and Milk or The Proposition. Whichever comes easier to write.

I got this idea after reading a post on the Kitchen Princess livejournal community.

Najika

Najika. That's what I named the desert.

But to be honest, someone else helped me out. A girl, to be exact.

That girl. What can be said about her?

She's stubborn, hard-headed, annoying, irritating, determined, fiery, strong-willed, and beautiful.

And the truth is, I can't seem to figure her out. No one can, really.

The first band of the cake- I made the red a little bit darker, the red of the sunset and the red of her name. I used cherries- sweet and sour at the same time. The intesity of her passion, her courage that allowed her to walk into her own heartbreak, and the fire of her eyes.

Orange is a mixture of the energy of red and the cheerfulness of yellow. It's her determination, something that draws people close to her. I walked by one of her photo shoots once, and the light in her eyes and her smile captured me, as it did to everyone around her.

Yellow is the color of joy and happiness; warm. The first time I saw this warmth of her was when she was talking to the student council president. She had finally gotten herself to confess her feelings, and when he rejected her, she was truly happy, because she got the closure she needed. The next time I saw it was when she was wishing her best friend good luck, and I realized how much she cared for Najika's happiness. So warm, not directed towards me, but her light was so bright, you couldn't miss it. That was part of her charm. She was always smiles, since she had her modling job, but when you saw a real, genuine smile, it made her outshine the girl captured in the picture.

Green is the color of her growth. By the time I transfered to the school, she was already good friends with Najika, but I heard stories about the mean things she used to do. She still wasn't done growing when I came by- there was still something that she needed to get herself over. Green is the color after she took her feelings and let go of them.

Blue is her sincerity and loyalty. She hadn't always been closest with Najika and Daichi, but she was always stubbornly defending them. She understood their feelings, and she did everything for them. And the day I saw her cry, she was sincere about her feelings.

And purple. The color of her eyes, the color of royalty; the stability of blue and the energy of red. Her eyes are what first got me to double take. Her independence, her dignity, and her magic.

I named it Najika. But my inspiration was Akane.


End file.
